Every day, I’m proud of the brave women and men I represent. But today is special. A group of especially courageous and determined men who were assaulted as boys by a serial child molesting cleric are speaking out and shedding light on both child sex crimes and cover ups.
These men were molested by Brother Raimond Rose. And they were misled by Rose’ superiors in a Catholic religious order called the Christian Brothers.
Some time ago, their civil lawsuits settled. After a long legal struggle, they could have just walked away, thinking “I took action. I warned others about Rose. I’ve done all that I can.”
But they didn’t. They are caring men. So they went further. They cooperated with a reporter and are therefore helping the public to see, again, the duplicity of church figures who knowingly protect predators, deceive others and enable more kids to be hurt.
In this case, the cover up continued well after these men were abused. At one point, Bro. Rose worked at a juvenile detention facility in Minnesota. While there, the Christian Brothers received a report that Bro. Rose had sexually abuse a prior student. In response to the report, the Christian Brothers told the victim that Bro. Rose had no access to children and was working in the prison system. The victim was not informed that Bro. Rose was working in a juvenile detention facility. The Christian Brother who skirted the truth was Bro. Thomas Johnson, currently the second in command of the world-wide Christian Brothers religious order in Rome. Unfortunately and as a direct result of Bro. Johnson’s untruthfulness, another boy, who was being detained at the facility was sexually abused by Rose while Rose worked there. See Summons and Complaint. This report to the Christian Brothers was the third known report to the Christian Brothers that Bro. Rose had sexually abused children. Even though the Christian Brothers received these reports, the Christian Brothers continued with the business of concealing and covering for Bro. Rose.
Now, due entirely to these brave men, the truth is out. Maybe public scrutiny will force the Christian Brothers to change.